The Arian presbyter Felix suspects that Fulgentius is not a simple monk, but a priest. He organises an ambush against Fulgentius and his companion, abba Felix. He takes them to his house and he flogs them in order to make them convert to Arianism, but he achieves nothing, and is himself impressed by the oratory and steadiness of Fulgentius. He eventually shaves the heads of Fulgentius and Felix, takes their clothes, and throws them out of his house naked.

17. They thought about settling down in the region of Sicca, enchanted by the fertility of the area, and accepted favourably by the faithful. There was however a presbyter of the Arian sect, who preached their perfidious faith in the estate of Gabardilla; his name known as by the people was Felix, but his will against God made him always unhappy (infelix). He was of a barbaric nation, savage customs, powerful means. He was a very vigorous persecutor of the Catholics. When Felix heard that the name of the blessed Fulgentius was becoming famous in the area, he was afraid that Fulgentius might reconcile secretly many of those whom he had seduced.

The Arian presbyter Felix suspects that Fulgentius is not a simple monk, but a priest. He organises an ambush against Fulgentius and his companion, abba Felix. He takes them to his house and he flogs them in order to make them convert to Arianism, but he achieves nothing, and is himself impressed by the oratory and steadiness of Fulgentius. He eventually shaves the heads of Fulgentius and Felix, takes their clothes, and throws them out of his house naked.

21. [...] So they left the house of the presbyter, as if from the place of the glorious contest, crowned with the laurels of victory.

22. Some Arian bishops also learnt that the blessed Fulgentius was so grievously beaten. The very bishop of the place knew his parents and loved particularly the blessed Fulgentius since he was a layman, and therefore he was deeply moved against the presbyter of his religion and diocese, who was known to be the perpetrator of this violence. He wanted to vindicate the blessed Fulgentius, if Fulgentius was ready to bring a formal suit against the said presbyter. Many people tried to persuade him to do it, but he said: „It is not allowed for a Christian to seek vengeance in this world. God knows how to defend the offences committed against his servants. Many simple people could be scandalised if I, although a sinner, but still a Catholic and monk, sought for the sentence of the Arian bishop.”

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The events described here probably took place between AD 484 (the anti-Catholic edict of Huneric) and AD 499, when Fulgentius left Africa for some time.

Place of event:

Region

Latin North Africa

City

Sicca Veneria

About the source:

None of the manuscripts transmitting the "Life of Fulgentius" provides the name of its author. It was firstly attributed to the deacon Ferrandus by Chifflet in 1649. This theory was largely accepted, by, among others, G.G. Lapeyre, who offered a critical edition of the "Life" in 1929. It was, however rejected by A. Isola in his 2016 edition for Corpus Christianorum, who retains it an anonymous work. It is dedicated to Felicianus, the successor of Fulgentius on the see of Ruspe, so it must have been written in a reasonable span of time after the death of Fulgentius in AD 533.